The McDonald's Breakfast Item That Is Surprisingly Not Vegan

Even in the fast food world, vegan options are plentiful these days. The times of settling for just a side salad are behind us. Though most chains, from Burger King to Taco Bell, where you can make almost anything vegan with a handy code word, have adapted with the times to offer vegan menu items, McDonald's menu leaves a lot to be desired. You won't find any meatless burgers — at least, sadly not in the U.S., where the chain's efforts to launch a vegan burger flopped. 

Much like McDonald's french fries, which have more ingredients than you might expect (including non-veg ones), the breakfast hash browns are frustratingly off the menu for vegans. And for the same reason the chain's iconic french fries aren't vegan-approved: the pesky addition of beef flavoring. According to the McDonald's website, the fluffy yet crispy hash brown patties are made with potatoes, oil, and ingredients like salt and preservatives, but given a boost with "natural beef flavor," which also contains milk derivatives.  

Presumably, the reasoning for this addition, which singlehandedly makes the popular breakfast item neither vegetarian nor vegan, is all about the signature flavor fans of the fast food chain have come to know and expect. Considering that this added beef flavoring is also used for the french fries, it's no surprise that McDonald's makes the hash browns the same way, trying to capture that same beloved taste.

Though the Golden Arches may be iconic the world around, and the food familiar and comforting no matter where you live, this isn't to say that McDonald's menus are the same from one country to the next. In fact, if you're ordering a quick breakfast across the pond in the U.K., or even in Canada, the chain's hash browns are indeed suitable for both vegetarian and vegan diners. That's because, sadly for vegans in the States, the addition of beef flavoring is a regional thing.

The hash browns sold at McDonald's in the U.K. are adorned with a "safe for vegans" stamp, as the crispy potato patties are made with only a blend of oils, potatoes, salt, pepper, and just a few other additions for texture. Similarly, Canadian McDonald's hash browns have a slightly different recipe, but don't contain any of the meaty flavoring. Note that the restaurant can't guarantee cross-contamination won't occur, though. 

If the fast food craving hits in the morning or you're on the road and looking to start your day at Mickey D's, you're not completely up a creek in terms of vegan options. Consider ordering their fruit and maple oatmeal, just request they leave out the cream. And if the sweet tooth hits, you can take advantage of one of the chain's very few plant-based options: the McDonald's gooey, flaky, and surprisingly vegan baked apple pie.